Action groupsA new campaign to target heart disease through community action groups was launched in the South Western Area Health Board region last week
Groups in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow will be taking part in Ireland's Changing Heart, a nationwide awareness campaign being introduced in stages across health board regions.
Ireland has the highest death rate in the EU from coronary heart disease, mainly heart attack, in those under 65.
In 2002, 40 per cent of all deaths in Ireland were due to cardiovascular disease, stroke and other diseases of the circulation, according to the Central Statistics Office.
Councillor Therese Ridge, vice-chairwoman of the South Western Area Health Board, said: "It is estimated the burden of illness and premature death associated with the disease will continue to rise unless we move to prevent its onset by changing the way we live our lives.
"We need to help create more supportive environments for people, so that the healthy choice is the easy choice."
The Fatima Mansions Group and Whitefriar Street Community Centre are working with the Health Promotion Department of the board to tackle the problem in Dublin's south inner-city, with a new "Health and Well-being Centre" planned for the greater Rialto area.
Other community groups involved in the campaign include Travellers groups, Kilcock Community Alcohol Awareness Project, Rialto Community Drug Team, Tallaght Library and Lucan Community and the Homeless Services.
A new Slí na Sláinte walking route from Saggart to Rathcoole was opened last Thursday.
There are a number of physical activity training and stop-smoking programmes under way in Clondalkin and other areas of the region.
Smoking is one of the key issues targeted by the campaign, with one-to-one consultations and support groups being offered as part of smoking-cessation programmes.
The health board is recruiting patients onto the National Heartwatch programme, a national care programme that currently monitors about 10,000 patients with cardiovascular disease.
Dr Sean McGuire of National Heartwatch said smoking cessation programmes had a role to play, but advice given by GPs was significant in tackling smoking.
"The GP just simply bringing up the issue of smoking and advising them to stop is one of most effective forms of intervention," he said.
Dr McGuire said there was a problem of "health delivery", and access to preventative healthcare was a key issue in dealing with heart disease.
Don Delaney, a spokesman for the South Western Area Health board, said the board operated a "population-wide approach" to health promotion.
"Health promotion is delivered in settings such as communities, schools, workplaces, health services and prisons. Working through settings facilitates an integrated approach to tackling a variety of issues and at-risk population groups," according to Dr Delaney.
Ireland's Changing Heart campaign will target children and young people, by organising breakfast clubs and after-school clubs to encourage healthy eating, and the development of computer health education resources, including a module on sexual health for third-level institutions.
All primary and post-primary schools in the area will receive SPHE (Social Personal and Health Education) information packs.
The board is encouraging people to follow its top five tips for a healthy heart:
1. Stop smoking - smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease, including heart attacks and stroke, with smokers living on average 10-15 years less than non-smokers.
2. Have a healthy diet - eat four or more servings of fruit and vegetables each day, plenty of wholegrain food and drink at least eight cups of fluid daily.
3. Get active - participate in 30 minutes of activity at least five days a week.
4. Know your blood pressure and cholesterol - visit your GP for a regular check-up and have your blood pressure and cholesterol levels monitored.
5. Reduce stress - and cut down the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
Ireland's Changing Heart is an initiative taken under the health agenda as part of Ireland's Presidency of the EU.